Tips on tackling student finance if you're going through Clearing
We know that Clearing is exciting but also can be a little stressful so we're here to make the process as smooth as possible for you.
Most students will fund their studies using Student Finance England to apply for a UK student loan and you might have done this already. Take a look at our most asked questions where we break down the process for you.
Clearing timeline 2026
2 July
- UCAS Clearing opens
- Apply for your student finance as soon as possible
- Want to update your course details? You can login and change them from now
July - Sep
- Student finance typically take 6-8 weeks to finalise new applications
- If you've already applied, amendments you make should be dealt with more quickly
Make sure to have your evidence ready to send
Sep - Oct
- We'll ask you to register on your course and confirm this to student finance after your in-person ID check
- Your first finance instalment will be paid around 3 days after that
If you applied later during the Clearing process, this may delay your payment
What happens if I change course or university through Clearing?
If you've already applied for your student finance, you just need to log into your account and update the details of your new university or college course. You need to do this even if your UCAS application has changed as the two systems aren't linked.
Don't worry - we've added a step-by-step guide below to cover the process.
What if my living situation has changed?
The amount of Maintenance Loan you're entitled to will depend on your living situation so any changes need to be made through your online account.
You'll be asked to confirm where you'll spend the majority of your time under the "change your university/college and course" section.
Changes to your living situation might include originally living in your family home but changing this to student accommodation if you've changed to a university further away.
How long will it take to process changes?
It takes around 4-6 weeks for Student Finance England to approve changes to your application so you'll want to update these as soon as possible.
I haven't applied for student finance yet - is it too late?
It's not too late to apply for a UK student loan and you're advised to do this as soon as you can to avoid delays in being paid. It only takes 30 minutes.
You should apply with your first choice of university and course.
Will I be entitled to any other financial help?
You might find you're eligible for additional support while you're studying with us - all of our financial aid opportunities can be found on our Undergraduate scholarships and bursaries page.
Making changes to your application
If you're from England and studying full-time, you’ll need to do the following:
- Sign in to the Student Finance portal
- Select ‘Undergraduate student finance applications’
- Pick your application to change and choose ‘Manage your student finance’
- Click ‘View and manage your applications’, followed by ‘Change your application’
- Select ‘University/college and course’
- Click ‘Submit’ once you’ve entered and confirmed your changes
They'll then re-assess your application and you'll be contacted if there are any changes to the amount you're entitled to.
Prefer to use a video? Student Finance England have a great guide on how to change your student finance application.
Applying from somewhere else? Find out how to apply if you:
Need more information before applying?
If you haven't applied for a UK Student Loan yet, our guide to student loans has more advice on the difference between tuition fees and maintenance loans, how you'll repay your loans, and your eligibility.
